Types of Nodes

Information of different types is associated with nodes in the hierarchical data structure. These nodes can represent surfaces of different types, curves, lights, or groups of objects.

Different types of geometry are indicated by different icons.

For a full list of icons, see Windows > Object Lister.

Node States

• Grouped: you can group several objects. In the Object Lister, this is represented by putting the objects under an orange block.

  

• Instanced: you can duplicate an object as an “instance”. Instead of a new object, an instance is just a pointer to existing geometry. It is represented in the Object Lister as a white cube. As well, the object that has been instanced gains a node underneath.

  

• Compressed: as the Object Lister becomes busier, you may want to collapse a part of the graph into a single node. The node with other nodes below it has a plus sign (+) in front of it. Nodes that have been expanded and can be collapsed have a minus sign (-) in front. -click a - or + sign to expand or compress the entire hierarchy.

  

• Invisible: you can make objects in the scene invisible. Nodes for invisible objects have gray text.

  

• Templated: you can “template” objects in the scene so they are still visible, but cannot be transformed or picked. Nodes for templated objects do not change their appearance; however, when the object is picked, in the view windows, it will be pink. When inactive, gray.

The Object Lister window

To view and pick using the Object Lister window

1. From the Windows menu, choose Object Lister.

   The Object Lister window appears.

   

   The graph in the window is the diagram representing the current scene.

2. Use the scroll bar on the left to move through the graph.

   The nodes are labelled with their names and icons showing their types.

3. Click a geometry node in the Object Lister window.

   The corresponding object in the scene becomes picked.

Pick > Object and Pick > Component

Unlike in the modeling windows, you can use either Pick > Object or Pick > Component to select whole objects or parts of objects in the Object Lister. In this section, you will compare picking in the modeling window with picking in the Object Lister.

To pick using Pick > Object and Pick > Component

1. Choose Pick > Nothing.
2. In the Object Lister window, click the plus (+) sign beside the cube to open its representation.

   

   You can see that the cube is constructed of six planes that are grouped.

3. Choose Pick > Object and pick the cube in a view window.

4. In the Object Lister window, you can see that the grouping node is picked.

5. Choose Pick > Component.
6. Find the component filter buttons to the left of the promptline. These buttons appear when the Pick > Component tool is active.

   

7. Make sure the Surfaces button is pushed in.
8. Click the cube.

• Since you must click an edge, which is shared by two sides, a small box appears under the mouse pointer with the name of both sides. Click the name you want.
• The Pick > Component tool only picks one side of the cube.

  

  In the Object Lister window, you can see that instead of picking the entire group, the Pick > Component tool picked one of the sub-nodes

  

1. Instead of choosing Pick > Component and having difficulties selecting a surface that can be attached to or overlaid by another surface, you can click the sub-object directly in the Object Lister.

Conclusion

You now know how to:

• Log into the system and start AliasStudio.
• Get help.
• Arrange windows.
• Use tools and tool options.
• Customize shelves and marking menus.
• Tumble, track, and dolly the view.
• Use the Object Lister window to understand the internal representation of the model.